Mick and Alison took advantage of my Bronze Kitchen Design Service, so I never met them, but Mick and I exchanged so many e-mails that I sort of feel I know him a little.

The kitchen in question is in Mick and Alison's Victorian end terrace cottage, which started life as a "two up two down" home - but which had already had a ground floor bathroom extension. They'd lived there for 25 years and the kitchen had been laid out in several different ways, during that time, but they wanted something a bit more convenient. One of their main requirements was a seating area in the kitchen because they were using a gate-leg table in the living room, with folding chairs, which had to be got out every time they wanted to use them. 

I don't normally put the "before" pictures in my kitchen design gallery but I've made an exception in this case because the original units, in this big farmhouse kitchen, were so typical of what a good quality farmhouse style kitchen used to look like.  (In case you're wondering ... the before pictures are on the left!!)

This house and kitchen are situated in Turnditch (between Belper and Ashbourne) and the views, out over the Debyshire countryside, are absolutely stunning.

Owners Duncan and Jacquie already knew that they wanted to extend the kitchen into the old pantry and rear entrance hall - and they wanted to alter the windows, to make the most of those views. Further internal alterations would result in a separate area, adjoining the kitchen, with a sofa and a tv ... a real living kitchen, but with rather an odd shape.

Sorry, the title sounds as if I'm fed up with traditional painted kitchens, whereas in fact I love them. Off white or cream painted furniture brightens up a room to such a huge degree, especially compared to the pine or oak finishes that are often thought to be more in keeping for traditional kitchens.